Morning Report: local papers

Monday's headlines: Parents furious that Fonterra put their children at risk of botulism; Karicare hotline flooded by calls; call for a new regional political party in Otago.

NZ Herald

'Milk scare angers parents' is the headline in The New Zealand Herald. The paper says parents are flooding a Karicare hotline after the disclosure that almost 68,000 cans of infant formula could be tainted with botulism bacteria from contaminated whey powder produced by Fonterra.

And Chiefs star Aaron Cruden is pictured embracing his wife-to-be under the headline 'Cow bells to wedding bells'.

Waikato Times

The infant formula story occupies the front page of The Waikato Times: the paper features a couple and their 10-month-old baby who are furious Fonterra put their son at risk of botulism.

Brian van der Drift told the paper Fonterra is pretty hard on farmers if their dairy sheds are not up to scratch, and he can't understand how this could happen.

In other news: fans celebrating the Chiefs Super Rugby final win on Saturday night, gave Hamilton bar owners one of their biggest nights ever.

Dominion Post

The Dominion Post says a single dirty pipe is threatening hundreds of millions of dollars of trade as a block on New Zealand dairy products widens.

The paper says Russia has put a block on all New Zealand dairy product imports, despite the fact it did not import the potentially contaminated product.

In other news: Sunday was was an emotion-filled day for the Titahi Bay family of TJ Perenara, after he was named as the only new cap in the All Blacks rugby championship squad.

The Press

Trade Minister Tim Groser has told The Press Australia appears to have been dragged into the dairy contamination issue, with China now blocking all milk powder products from both sides of the Tasman.

Mount Hutt ski area's 40th birthday bash is pictured. About 3000 people turned up for the festivities.

ODT

The Otago Daily Times leads with a call by Dunedin businessman Ian Taylor for a new regional political party. He told the paper the city needs to stand up to government cuts and that a new political party could give the region its own voice.

Meanwhile, a Marist Rugby club player, team official and a supporter have been banned from attending any rugby matches in New Zealand after a referee was abused at a Citizens Shield semifinal in July.